armstrong



lRe. 16,969

3 Sheets-Sheet y.

. M. 4K. ARMSTRONG- APPARATUS FOR MAKING LASTEH BOARD y Original FiledMarch 15,. 1919 May l22, msg

j M16 22, 192s. f

M. K. ARMSTRONG .APPARATUS FOR MAKING PLASTER BOARD -3 Sheets-Sheet 2loriginal Filgd 'Marsh 15. 1919 l May 22, 1.928.

Re. 16,969 M. K. ARMSTRONG APPARATUS FOR MAKING PLASTER BOARD originalFiled March 15. 1919l ssneets-sneet 5 Reissues] May 22, 1928.

' PATENT OFFICE.

i UNiTED STATES MORGAN I. ARMSTRONG, 0F HAMPTON, VIRGINIA, ASSIGOB, BYMESNE .ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED STATES GYPSUM COMPANY.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING BLASTER BOARDQU- Original applicationled March 15,1913, Serial No. 282,837.- Divided and application file-d July 158,

1919, Serial No. 310,471. Original No. 1,367',2$2,. dated February 1,1921. Application for reislue led .Tune 9, 1922. Serial No. 567,205:

This inrention relates to improvements in apparatus for makingplaster-board and consists of the matters hereinafter described and moreparticularly po-inted'out in the appended claims. 1

The disclosure ot' this applica-tion hasbeen divided from applicationSerial No. 282,837, tiled March 15,1919, patented August 3, 1.920, No.1,348,387.

.The object of the invention is to produce a. simple andetiicicntapparatus which will make in a continuous bound edge strip, a plasterboard consisting of top and bottom coverings of paper and of anintermediate layer of plastic material to which the said covering sheetsadhere, the edges of the layer o't' plastic material being covered andthe margins of the cover sheets cemented toget/her in overlappingrelation. The advantages of my improved apparatus for making 4such aplaster board, will more fully appear as l proceed with myspecification,

'I he character of the invention may be best `understood by reference toone/illustrative' apparatus embodying the invention and de' signed tomake plaster board having one type` of edge. p

.Such apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 represents, diagrammatieally, a.

longitudinal section through the apparatus.`

Fig. 2 represents a. top plan view of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 represents, on' an enlarged scale, a section through Fig 2, in aplane indicated bythe line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

' Figqt represents n .partial sectional viewin a plane indicated by theline 4 4 of Fig.. 5I represents, on a still larger scale, a partialtransverse section ythrough the ap* pai-atas, in a plane indicated bytheline Fig. 6 represents a. transverse section, in

' a plane indica-ted by the line 6 6A 'of Fig-2.

bottoni. sheet edge-folding or turning horns,

Fig 9 represents a top plan View` of thev Fig. 10 represents atransverse section through the finished board.

Fig. 10'1 is an end elevation of the spreading rolls, illustratingthemanner of mounting and operatively'connecting them.

The illustrative apparatus 'is arranged to make a plaster board having aspecific type of edge characterized by the overlapping of the margins ofone sheet by the margins of the opposite sheet which vfold over theedges 'of the body of plaster. l

Referring now in detail to that embodif ment of the inventionillustrated-in the accompanying drawings 11 indicates the wider bottomcovering sheet, and 12 indi Cates the narrower top covering sheet of thefinished board. The respective Widths of the sheets are determined bythe dimensions of th'e plaster board and the particular type of plasterboard edge. Each oit' these sheets is fed from a. roll, one ot the rolls11F being mounted on a. base or on' the Hoor below the apparatus` andthe other, 12a, being mounted on suitable posts or uprights 13,A risingat the sides of the apparatus. The bottom sheet '11,' in. litscontinuous advance .through theapparatus, `is supported by suitableendless belts 14 and 15, the first being located near the roll of paper11 and at thel rear of the spreading rolls shortly to be referred to,and the other, 15, being located ;tom roll 17 is located with its topsurface in the plane voif the top laps of lthe two belts 14 and 15.4This roll is niounted in axed bearingiwhile the upper roll is mountedin vertically.adjustable bearings, so that itl is capable of a verticaladjustment to determine the thickness of the board. A familiar'crins'truction to provide this adjustment is shown in Fig. 10, whereinthe rollsare shovvn with their shafts mounted in journal 2 y y f 16,969

boxes 16, 17, respectively, and with a ver- 7 tically adjustable rod 17hinterposed between bottom spreading roll 17 to a space some-c.

distance to the rear of said roll. This platform 1-8 is located with itstop surface in a plane tangential to the top of the roll 17 and is madewider transverselythan vthe belt 14, the top lap of which passes througha transverse slot 18 in the forward end'of- `At each side of theplatform 18 and proj eeting into the space between the s )readmg rolls16 and 17, are located mold oards 20, 20. Said-mold boards determine thewidth of the plastic 'body to be included between the layers vof paper,and extend parallel to each other in the direction of the feed of thepaper. They are mounted with their bottom edges a distance above the topsurface o'f `the platform 18, suicient to per- A- mit the thickness ofthe bottom sheet to pass underneath them, and are secured to saidplatform b means of overhanging brackets 1 attache to its edges.

The forward ends 22 of the Imold boards 20 are oHset-inwardl that is tosay, toward each other, from the `plane of the main ,length of saidboards, said forward ends 22 .being connected to said main' lengths bymeans of inwardly inclined rparts 23. The top edges ofsaid forward ends22 are curved, as indlcated aft 24, so that they may be made to closelyengagel the paper of the top sheet when it passes areund the to roll, aswill presently appear. Longitudinally adjustable plates 25 are zittachedto the outer faces -of the forward ends of s'aidmold boards.

l.The forward ends of themold boards themselves terminate, preferably,considerably to thlrear of the diametric vertical plane comm to thespreading rolls 16 and 17. The plates 25 may be adjusted to more closelyap roach the said diametrie plane, butas wil vappear later, these platesare never to be brought into a position forward of said L diametrieplane.

The plastic mix is disehanged upon the advancing bottom sheet 11 bymeans of a lt conveyer 26 suitably supported abovel the platform 18 froma hopper (not shown). A water pipe 2T is arranged to discharge waterupon the plastic mix on the bottom sheet, in case more watcr is requiredthan has already been put into'thc mix when it is delivered to the beltconvcycr.y

' Operatives on either side of thc apparatus mix and roughly sp1-cad theplastic mixture over the bottom sheet and remove any hard particles thatmay have set and have become detached from the mold boards, a't'terfirst adhering thereto. As the bottom sheet advances toward thespreading rolls, the

plastic- 'mix is crowded toward the center andis edged up by the moldboards and 1s dammed up a ainst the spreading rolls, at the same timeeaving the marginal parts of the bottom sheet, -which project beyond themold boards, free of the plastic mix.

The top-sheet 12 is fed from its supply roll 12a and then about tensionrolls 28, 29, and then downwardly and forwardly about the u perspreading roll 16. sprea ing loll 16 is shorter (see Fig. 2) than thebottom spreading roll and is somewhat shorter than the width of the topsheet, but extends at ,each' end beyond the planes of the front endsofthe mold boards.

The upper After the top sheet is applied, the plastic body is spreadevenly as it passes with the top sheet and the bottomsheet between thespreading rolls, so that as the three parts comprising the boardapproach the connnon vertlcal diametric plane of the spreading rolls, the'boar'd is in the form of a bottom Sheet having marginal parts onwhich there is no plastic n'iaterial,extending beyond a plastic body onsaid sheet, and with a top sheet applied to said plastic body havinglits edges projecting .l slightly. beyond the same. Since the plates 25do not project into the common diametric plane of the spreading rolls,wherethe'distance betwee the'rolls is least, brit terminates shortV ofsaid plane, a little of the plast-ic mixture.v will be spread out (asthe board passes bcyond the ends of the mold boards) over the marginalpartsof the bottom sheet, (as shown in Fi 5), the escaping plaster beingindicated y the numeral 30 andthe main" body of the plaster beingindicated by the numeral 31. -By having the top roll 16 somewhat shortcrthan the width ofthe top sheet, the plastic mix is prevented fromcollecting on the ends of said 'roll and hardening thereon.A i

The final Afolding operations take place after -both cover sheets havebeen applied and the plasterspread to a uniform depth. f

After the board passes the spreading rolls. the marginal parts ilof ythebottom sheet (which will hereinafter, be referred to by the numeral'32,) with thefsnall amount of plaster spread out t` on, are turned' overto embrace the top qs eet by`means of fold I ii'igdevres or hornsconforming in' shape tothe desired contour of the plaster board edge.A

` table v33 is located lforward of the roll 1'5 (which supports the rearloop of the (nidless belt l5) with its surface in supporting engagementywith the top lap of the beit 15. vSaidA table is wider 'transverselythan the-belt, and is somewhat Wider than the bottom sheet ot' thelaster board. At each side of said plaster oard are mounted :foldinghorns 3ft of familiar construction, said horns ai' their rear endsbeingsubstantially ot' the cross section shown in Fig. 6,

-and at their iront ends. being of' the section shown in Fig. 'i'.4 Saidhorns are lmounted ininii overhanging block 35 attached to lon- 1-iiitiiilinal strips 36 Fixed at the sides of the board 3:3. The vfrontend -ot' each horn, as lwill vbe seen` has its turned-o\f'er part 37bent so that it, is somewhat inclined -from the wouter edgesot the boardto and below the horizontal, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. As the board isdrawnforward, the marginal partsy inlet. the bottom sheet are caught bythe rear ends ot' the horns and said parts 32 with the plaster 30 arebentV or turned over upon the top sheet, the lseveral successive stelniof 'tiie turning in lf`ig.-i 5, ti and 7.

.lhe turning over ot the marginal parts 32 with the plaster thereon,acts to depress the marginal parts .38 of the top sheet, as clearlyshown in Fig. 7. thus leaving a substantiulfbody of plaster between theadjacent process being indicated parts of the top sheet and of theturned over margins et' the bottom sheet.

In order to facilitate this turningr over of `the bottom sheet, Iprovide means for' soften ingir the marginal parts of the bottom sheetpreliininarily to their reaching the folding horns.-tliis because sincethe paper is sized `and stiff. 1t wiltnot readily accommodate itiseltl4to the action of the vfolding horns u n less treated 1n some suchvmanner. To this end I provide in aposition'near the rear end of theplatform 18, steam pipes 40 which are [adapted to discharge jets ofsteam o'n said marginal edges and thus soften them. To .prevent bucklingor bending upward of the plaster board or of thetop weight on the topsheet and being prevented fronrmoving forwardly with the advancing.

plaster board b v means ot' a bar v42 which .extends outwardly beyondthe platform 33 and is engaged against the upright posts 13.

As the plaster board passes beyond the folding horns, tliereis apt tobea slight excess of plaster at the edges ofthe turnedover marginal partsoli' thebottom sheet (See ,is attached a sheet of the plaster board,during the action of the fielding horns, an anti-buckling plate 41,'which is narrower than the top sheet 12,.is placed to bear on the topof the plaster oard, said plate simply resting by its Fig. '7). Toremove this plaster and to smooth down any that `remains in thisposition, I provide narrow rolls 44, one or more for each margin of theboard. Said rolls are mounted on a shaft/15 to the end of which ulley46. This pulley is connected up to i rive the rolls 44 ii a directionopposite to the advance of the board so that.

they will in effect act as brushes to removeof the board.

.After leaving the rolls 44, the boardis' passed under a'weightedironing or smoothing inembelt, This is in the form ot a' plate which maybe' attached to cables 49 passing over pulleys -50, so thatfit may belifted out'of the road when threading the niachine. Said'ironingofsmoothing member is wider than the plaster board, so that itfextendsbeyond both edges of said board. -It is lprevented trom'advit'ncin'g andmoving forward with the board by means of chains 5l which are attachedtoAthe upright posts 13. The said ironing meniber, as the name appliedto it suggests, irons out and smooths any wrinkles or buckles thatappear or tendto form in the plaster board, and finally 'flattens theboard `and adheres the paper sheets to the plastic layer as the'plasticlayer approaches or reaches a set condition.

Although the apparatus above described was arranged for making a plasterboard having a specific arrangement ot' cover sheet margins, it isobvious that it may be arranged to manufacture different types ofplaster board edges by suitable adjustments.'

Obviouslythe invention is not limited to the particular detailsofconstruction of they Moreover, 1t is notillustrative apparatus. uindispensable that all features of the invention be employed conjointlyas they may be used-to advantage in various combinations andsub-combinations.

' I claim:

1. An apparatus for making plaster board of the kind described,coniprising means for continuously advancing and supporting a bottomsheet, means for depositing a plastic mixture on said bottom sheet,vertically 'spaced spreading rolls interposed in the path of theadvancing bottom sheet, one of said spreading rolls-being adjustablewith reference to'theother to determine the spacebe-i tween 4them, andthe otliervof saidvspreading rolls being in the plane in which saidibottom sheet is advanced, means for feeding a top sheet about saidadjustable spreading roll in a plane above themeans supporting saidbottom sheetpmold boards in -advance of said spreading rolls spacedabove the support for the bottom sheet sufficiently to permit themarginal edges of said bottoni sheet to project beyond said 'n1oldboards, said mold boards heilig adapted for confining the plasticmixture disposed upon the advancing bottom sheet, said mold' boards having ends adapted for engagement with the top spreading roll and havingends terminating short. of the common vertical, diametric plane of saidspreading rolls'plates adjustable to e ten-d into the space between saidspreading rolls folding horns located at each side of the support forthe bottom sheet, adapted for `folding over the marginal parts of saidbott-om sheet, means coacting with the'support for the bottom sheet toprevent buckling during the folding-over process of the bottom sheet.and an ironing device adaptedy to flatten the board and adhere' thecovering sheets to the plastic body in advancing tlie board.

2. An apparatus for making plaster board of the kindvdescribed,comprising means for above the 'marginal partsv of'said bottomA ticallyadjustable,

said mold boards continuously advancing a' Ibottom sheet, means fordeposlting a plastic mlxture on said sheet, mold boards spaced inwardlyand.

above the marginal parts of said bottom sheet, to confine the plasticmixture on the middleof the sheet between said marginal parts which areleft bare and exposed, vertically adjustable.,l spreading rolls, in thepath of the advancing bottom sheet, means for feeding a narrower topsheet about the top spreading roll, said mold boardsliavingends adaptedfor engagement with the top roll, and terminatingshort of the verticalplane of said'rolls, folding horns for turning over the marginal partsof the bottom sheet onto the margins of the narrower top sheet, afterleaving the spreading rolls, and an ironing device for smoothing theproduct and adhering thetop and bottom sheets'to the plastic mixture.

3. An apparatus for makingplaster'board of the kind described,comprising mea-ns for continuously advancing a bottom sheet, means fordepositing a plastic mixture o n said sheet, mold boards spaced inwardlyand sheet, to confine the plastic Vmixture on the middle 'o f the sheet,between said marginal parts whlch are left bare and exposed,verlspreading rolls,

y -in the path of the advancing bottom sheet, means'for feeding anarspaced top` and bottomv spaced top and bottomA parts of the ybottomsheet 'onto the marginalf parts of the narrower top sheet, after leavingthe spreading rolls, means supporting said top and bottom sheets withthe plastic mixture between them, after they have passed the spreadingrolls, a device coacting with said supporting means and engaging the topsheet between said folding horns for p `spaced inwardly and above themarginal parts of said bottom sheet, to confine the plastic mixture onthe middle of the sheet between said marginal parts which are left bareand exposed, vertically adjustable, spaced top and bottom spreadingrolls, vin the path of the advancing bottom sheet, means for feeding anarrower top sheet about the top spreadingroll, said mold boards havingends adapted for engagement with the top roll, and terminating short ofthe vertical plane of said rolls, folding horns for turning over themarginalparts ofthe bottoml sheet onto the margins of the narrower top Ysheet, after leaving the spreading rolls, and an 'ironing device for.smoothing the product and adhering the top and bottom sheets to theplastic mixture. t

5. An apparatus for making plaster board -of the kind described,comprising means for continuously advancing a bottom sheet, means fordepositing a plastic mixture on said sheet, mold boards spaced inwardlyof the marginal parts of said bottom sheet, tocontine, the plasticmixture ybetween said marginal parts which are left bare and exposed,spaced spreading rolls in the path of the advancing bottom sheet, means.for feeding a narrower top sheet between said rolls, said mold boardsconstructed and arranged to permit a small amount of plaster to flowuponthemargins of said bottom sheet, and folding. devices for turning` overthe margi vnal parts of the bottom sheet onto the'margins--of thenarrower top sheet, after leaving the spreading rolls.

6. An apparatus for making plaster board of the kind described.comprisingmeans for continuously advancing a bottom sheet,

lmeans for depositing a plastic mixture on rowe'r top sheet about thetop spreading roll, E

engagementwith thetop roll, and erminating short of the vertical planeoffs id rolls, oldlng vhorns for turning over the mzrginal having endsadapted I for said sheet, mold boards spaced inwardly of the marginalparts of said bottom sheet to confine 'the plastic mixture on the middleofthe sheet between said marginal parts,

spacedv spreading rolls in the path of the ad- 1 vancing bottomshee't,means for feeding a narrower top sheet betteen said rolls,said moldboards having ends terminating short of the rolls and adjustable to varythe amount of plaster flowing upon the margins, folding devices forturning over the marginal parts of the bottom sheet onto the marginalparts ot the narrower toprsheet after leaving'the spreading rolls, andWheels revolving in a direction opposed tothe travel ot the board forremoving any excess plaster upon the top sheet adjacent the foldedmargins.

7` An apparatus for making plaster board .of the kind described,comprising means for continuously advancing a bottom sheet. means forsoftening the marginal parts ot said bottom sheet, means for depositinga plastic mixture 'on said sheet, means tor -coniinin the plasticmixture to the middle ot the sieet leaving marginal parts which aresubstantially bare, spreading rolls, in' the path of the advancingbottomA sheet, means for feeding a top sheet between said rolls andfolding devices tor turning over the marginal parts of the bottom sheetonto the margins of the narrower top sheet.

8. In an apparatus for making plaster board, the combination of aconveyor for carrying and supporting a cover-sheet, means for depositingplastic material on the sheet, means for applying a second cover-sheetto the/plastic material and for spreading said plastic material to forma board ot uniform thickness, means for causing a small amount ofplastic material to flow upon thel margins of one sheet, and meanslocated beyond said spreading means for folding the margins of the Widersheet into a plane substantially parallel with the other sheet so as tobring the corresponding marginsy of said sheets in superposed relationand cementing the same together with the small amount. ot plaster.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of aconveyor, means for sunny a sheet ot covering material thereto, meanstor rendering the margins of said sheet more lexible so as to fold morereadily, means for depositing plastic material upon said sheets, meansfor applying a second cover-sheet-over said plastic material, and meansfor folding thereafter thermargins ot said first sheet into a planesubstantially parallel to said second sheet so that the correspondingmargins of said sheets are superposed. 4

10. In an apparatus for mal-:ing plaster board. the combination of meanstor advancing a bottom cover-sheet, means for depositing plasticmaterial on the sheet, means for supplying a top sheet to said lplasticmaterial, a pair ot' spaced spreading rolls between Which lsaid sheetsand plaster pass, means for applying a small amount ol plaster to themargins ot' one. of said sheets, tolding horns for folding` said marginsupon the margiilsl of the other sheet and means 'tor pressing saidn'ia'rgins down upon said other margin 11. In an apparatus for makingplaster board, the combination ot means for advancing a bottomcover-sheet'. means for depositing plastic material on the sheet, meansfor supplying a top sheet to said plastic material, a pair of spacedspreading rolls between which said sheets and plaster pass., means forapplying a smallamount oi plaster to the margins of the bottom sheet,vtolding horns for folding said margins upon the -margins of the topsheet and means for cleaning ofi1 the top sheet adjacent the foldedmargins.

l2. In an apparatus tor making plaster hoard, the combination oi meansfor adv-ancing a bottom cover sheet, means for-depositing plasticmaterial on the sheet, means for supplying a top'sheet to said plasticmaterial, a pair ot spaced spreading rolls between which said pass,means fortolding said margins upon the margins of the top sheet and adevice revolvini in a direction opposed to the travel of the from thetop o the board.

MORGANK. ARMSTRONG.

.fill

sheets and plastic material oa'rd for removing. excess plaster

